Katine Chronicles blog + Food | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog+environment/food
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We need practical measures to address critical issues facing women farmers | Rekha Mehra and David Kauckhttps://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2010/may/26/women-farmers
Last week, the US government published its initiative to combat global hunger and improve food security, which emphasised the important role women play in meeting the challenge. Rekha Mehra and David Kauck, from the International Center for Research on Women, explain what needs to happen for the government's ideas to be realised<p>Most notable about <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2010/may/21/us-food-security-strategy">Feed the Future, the US government's recent initiative</a> to tackle global hunger and food security, is its emphasis on women – unprecedented in the US and timely. More than three decades of work on women and agriculture at the <a href="http://www.icrw.org/">International Center for Research on Women</a> (ICRW) suggests that improving women farmers' access to appropriate resources, technologies, markets and land will pay multiple dividends in the form of increased agricultural productivity and, ultimately, improved household nutrition. In fact, according to the US state department's, Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative consultation document, economic output could be increased by 15%-40% and under-nutrition reduced by 15 million children by providing women with assets equal to those of men.</p><p>Women are crucial to the health and wellbeing of their families and communities, and national economic growth. Take, for example, India's economic transformation: according to the World Bank, Indian states with the highest percentage of women in the labour force grew the fastest and had the largest reductions in poverty. However, the barriers are considerable - women in Africa constitute the majority of farmers, yet they receive less than 10% of small farm credit and own just 1% of land.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2010/may/26/women-farmers">Continue reading...</a>LivelihoodsWomenAid and developmentNewsKatineGlobal developmentSocietyUgandaWorld newsFarmingEnvironmentFoodFood securityAfricaWed, 26 May 2010 06:45:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2010/may/26/women-farmersPhotograph: GuardianWomen working in a Katine field at sunrise. Photograph: Martin GodwinPhotograph: GuardianWomen working in a Katine field at sunrise. Photograph: Martin GodwinGuardian Staff2010-05-26T06:45:00ZWe need to realise Africa's potential on agriculturehttps://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2010/feb/10/africa-agriculture-sithembile-ndema
African farmers must be able to access the knowledge and tools they need to unleash agriculture's full potential for the continent, says Sithembile Ndema<p>In the developed world, people often refer to sustainability in terms of what might be lost to future generations compared with what is enjoyed today. The threat of food insecurity, of a changing climate, of disrupted marketplaces all paint a picture of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/2009/jul/21/food-crisis">potential famine, drought</a> and widespread poverty.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2010/feb/10/africa-agriculture-sithembile-ndema">Continue reading...</a>LivelihoodsNewsKatineAgricultureFoodEnvironmentUgandaWorld newsAfricaWed, 10 Feb 2010 08:20:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2010/feb/10/africa-agriculture-sithembile-ndemaGuardian Staff2010-02-10T08:20:00ZPublic and private sectors must work together to help farmershttps://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2009/dec/07/howard-minigh-farmers
The private and public sectors must do what they do best, but look for ways to cooperate to help smallholder farmers, says Howard Minigh, president of CropLife International<p>The world's farmers, especially smallholders across Africa and South Asia, such as those in <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/katine">Katine</a>, are facing growing threats to their ability to feed themselves and the world.</p><p>Smallholders' lack of productive capacity will not be addressed by continuing the status quo. We need to build broader, deeper and more effective partnerships that improve the effectiveness of the global food chain, and offer farmers the opportunity to produce more and earn more.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2009/dec/07/howard-minigh-farmers">Continue reading...</a>LivelihoodsAid and developmentNewsKatineFoodFarmingEnvironmentUgandaWorld newsAfricaMon, 07 Dec 2009 10:01:07 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2009/dec/07/howard-minigh-farmersPhotograph: GuardianCassava farmer Moses Julius Otim in Katine, Uganda, with his new resistant strain of cassava. Photograph: Dan ChungPhotograph: GuardianCassava farmer Moses Julius Otim in Katine, Uganda, with his new resistant strain of cassava. Photograph: Dan ChungGuardian Staff2009-12-07T10:01:07ZThe cost of adapting to climate changehttps://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2009/nov/26/climate-change-african-farmers
Farmers in developing countries are already feeling the effects of climate change. What is needed to help them cope is an almost unprecedented shift of resources from north to south, says Anne Perkins<p>The gap between rhetoric and reality, the developed and developing worlds, is cruelly illustrated by the huge promises and meagre results of successive global gatherings on providing funds to help less developed countries adapt to the changing climate.</p><p>On Tuesday, <a href="http://www.farmafrica.org.uk/">Farm-Africa</a>, one of the Guardian's partners in the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/2008/sep/23/background.news">Katine project</a>, helped launch <a href="http://www.climatefrontlineafrica.org">Climate Frontline</a>, a collection of African voices reflecting on how their climate has already changed, and how they are adapting to it. It is full of practical ideas – new ways of making liquid compost from animal droppings, or growing maize in pits where moisture is better retained, to name just two.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2009/nov/26/climate-change-african-farmers">Continue reading...</a>Aid and developmentLivelihoodsNewsKatineFarmingFoodAgricultureClimate changeEnvironmentGlobal developmentWorld newsThu, 26 Nov 2009 09:54:21 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2009/nov/26/climate-change-african-farmersPhotograph: Walter Astrada/AFPPeople wait in line during a food distribution at Morulinga, one of the driest and least developed areas of Uganda. Photograph: Walter Astrada/AFP/GettyPhotograph: Walter Astrada/AFPPeople wait in line during a food distribution at Morulinga, one of the driest and least developed areas of Uganda. Photograph: Walter Astrada/AFP/GettyAnne Perkins2009-11-26T09:54:21ZWhat is the point of the world summit on food security?https://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2009/nov/18/world-summit-food-security
There may not have been a commitment from delegates at the FAO world summit on food security to substantially increase aid for agriculture, but that wasn't the point, said the head of the IFAD<p>Any thoughts that the <a href="http://www.fao.org">world summit on food security</a>, held in Rome this week, was a waste of time (and money) in the absence of any extra financial commitment to eradicating hunger, were swiftly pushed to one side by the president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).</p><p>Speaking to reporters yesterday, Kanayo Nwanze said the main purpose of the three-day summit, which ends today, was to encourage the leaders of developing countries to commit themselves to prioritising agriculture and food security, rather than securing money from the international community.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2009/nov/18/world-summit-food-security">Continue reading...</a>Aid and developmentLivelihoodsKatineGlobal developmentSocietyFoodEnvironmentUgandaWorld newsAidFood securityAfricaWed, 18 Nov 2009 11:41:14 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2009/nov/18/world-summit-food-securityPhotograph: Farm-Africa/guardian.co.ukCassava for sale in a market in Katine, Uganda. Photograph: Farm-AfricaPhotograph: Farm-Africa/guardian.co.ukCassava for sale in a market in Katine, Uganda. Photograph: Farm-AfricaLiz Ford2009-11-18T11:41:14ZCoalition issues call for action to help farmers in developing countrieshttps://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2009/nov/13/farming-first-copenhagen
The Farming First coalition wants world leaders meeting in Copenhagen next month to better support farmers on the frontline of climate change<p>A global coalition of farmers, scientists, engineers, businesses and NGOs is calling on world leaders to channel aid for agriculture through farmers' associations to ensure the money gets to those who need it – the farmers.</p><p><a href="http://www.farmingfirst.org/">Farming First</a>, which represents 124 organisations, wants to see the creation of a dedicated "adaptation fund" for agriculture to help farmers get the money they need to tackle climate change. Farmers' associations, which provide a vital link between governments and the farming community, should be strengthened and used to channel money from this fund.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2009/nov/13/farming-first-copenhagen">Continue reading...</a>LivelihoodsAid and developmentKatineWorld newsFoodFarmingEnvironmentFri, 13 Nov 2009 11:53:46 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/katine/katine-chronicles-blog/2009/nov/13/farming-first-copenhagenLiz Ford2009-11-13T11:53:46ZFAO launches website on world hungerhttps://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/oct/16/fao-hunger-website
Website includes interactive map and country-specific statistics<p>To mark World Food Day today, the <a href="http://www.fao.org/">Food and Agriculture Organisation</a> has launched a <a href="http://www.fao.org/hunger/en/">website on world hunger</a>, which includes an interactive map that shows trends in the percentage of the world's population experiencing hunger in recent decades. The map is downloadable.</p><p>The information is bracketed into two-year periods up until 2006 – 1990-92, 1995-97, 2000-02 and 2004-06.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/oct/16/fao-hunger-website">Continue reading...</a>LivelihoodsNewsAid and developmentKatineGlobal developmentWorld newsFoodEnvironmentHungerFri, 16 Oct 2009 13:31:57 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/oct/16/fao-hunger-websitePhotograph: Stringer/India/ReutersAn irrigated field in Asia Photograph: ReutersPhotograph: Stringer/India/ReutersAn irrigated field in Asia Photograph: ReutersLiz Ford2009-10-16T13:31:57ZHow do we feed Katine's schoolchildren?https://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/oct/13/school-feeding-programme
Ugandan teachers have called on the government to provide school meals for pupils, but does the responsibility for children's welfare lie closer to home?<p>Last week, the Uganda National Teachers' Union <a href="http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Feed_children_under_UPE_govt_urged_92526.shtml">called on the Ugandan government</a> to provide meals for the millions of schoolchildren who go to school hungry.</p><p>The union wants the government to provide food to all pupils under its universal primary education (UPE) programme because parents are failing to feed their children.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/oct/13/school-feeding-programme">Continue reading...</a>EducationLivelihoodsPolitics and historyNewsKatineGlobal developmentFoodEducationEnvironmentUgandaWorld newsAfricaTue, 13 Oct 2009 09:39:04 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/oct/13/school-feeding-programmePhotograph: Dan Chung/guardian.co.ukFood being prepared in Katine. How can school feeding programmes be sustainable? Photograph: Dan ChungPhotograph: Dan Chung/guardian.co.ukFood being prepared in Katine. How can school feeding programmes be sustainable? Photograph: Dan ChungLiz Ford and Annie Kelly2009-10-13T09:39:04ZHow to feed the world in 2050https://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/oct/12/agriculture-food-security
High level forum opens in Rome to discuss food security over the next 40 years<p>Jacques Diouf, the director general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), today opened two days of talks on the challenges that lay ahead for farming over the next 40 years.</p><p>Around 300 experts and scientists on agriculture and food security turned up in Rome for the first day of the high level forum on how to feed the world in 2050, which Diouf says was a "reflection of your dedication and commitment not only to the fight against hunger of today, but also to the well-being of future generations".</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/oct/12/agriculture-food-security">Continue reading...</a>LivelihoodsAid and developmentNewsKatineFoodEnvironmentGlobal developmentUgandaWorld newsFood securityAfricaMon, 12 Oct 2009 15:18:24 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/oct/12/agriculture-food-securityPhotograph: Martin Godwin/GuardianA farm in Katine. Photograph: Martin GodwinPhotograph: Martin Godwin/GuardianA farm in Katine. Photograph: Martin GodwinLiz Ford2009-10-12T15:18:24ZUganda could suffer under World Food Programme funding crisishttps://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/sep/23/food-crisis-world-food-programme
<p>News that the World Food Programme (WFP) is suffering a serious shortfall in funding could not have come at a worse time for millions of people in east Africa.</p><p>The WFP says it is currently $4.1bn short of its 2009 budget. So far it has only received $2.6bn of the $6.7bn it says it needs to provide emergency food rations to 108 million people this year.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/sep/23/food-crisis-world-food-programme">Continue reading...</a>Aid and developmentLivelihoodsKatineUgandaWorld newsGlobal developmentFamineFoodEnvironmentAfricaWed, 23 Sep 2009 11:48:57 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/sep/23/food-crisis-world-food-programmeAnnie Kelly2009-09-23T11:48:57ZInvest in Africa, invest in the whole worldhttps://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/aug/13/money-livelihoods
Africa will feel the worst effects of rising food prices. But with greater investment in agriculture from governments and donors, the continent could become the bread basket of the world, says Peter Hazell<p>For more than three decades, a technology driven, agricultural revolution has enabled global food production to outstrip growth in demand. Modern plant breeding, together with greater use of irrigation, fertilizers and pesticides created a situation in which the world price of grains trended downwards to reach historically low levels by the end of the millennium. Moreover, over most of this three-decade period, more than enough food was produced each year to feed everybody in the world had it been distributed more equitably.</p><p>In reality there are about 1 billion people who live in abject poverty (on less than $1 a day), and who do not get enough to eat. About 75% of the poor live in rural areas where they depend primarily on agriculture for their livelihoods.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/aug/13/money-livelihoods">Continue reading...</a>moneyLivelihoodsNewsAid and developmentKatineUgandaWorld newsGlobal developmentFoodEnvironmentAfricaThu, 13 Aug 2009 08:00:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/aug/13/money-livelihoodsPhotograph: Dan Chung/guardian.co.ukA Katine farmer surrounded by a new resistant strain of cassava. Photograph: Dan ChungPhotograph: Dan Chung/guardian.co.ukA Katine farmer surrounded by a new resistant strain of cassava. Photograph: Dan ChungGuardian Staff2009-08-13T08:00:00ZRising food prices have hit Katine hardhttps://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/aug/12/rising-food-prices
People in Katine don't have the shillings in their hands to buy enough food to adequately feed their families, says Farm-Africa's Charles Marwa<p>Food prices have hit <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/2008/sep/23/background.news">Katine</a> hard over the past few months. Prices have been rising continuously, but have increased sharply in the last few weeks. Even worse is that it is the food stuffs that constitute the staple diet in Katine which have increased in price the most. While meat and fish have remained relatively static, cassava has almost tripled in price. Groundnuts have also risen from UShs 5,500 (around $2.60) per basin to UShs 12,000 and maize has doubled.</p><p>While food prices have risen across east Africa, the residents of poor rural communities like Katine are the most vulnerable to these increases.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/aug/12/rising-food-prices">Continue reading...</a>moneyLivelihoodsKatine lifeNewsKatineUgandaWorld newsGlobal developmentFoodEnvironmentAfricaTue, 11 Aug 2009 23:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/aug/12/rising-food-pricesPhotograph: GuardianPeople looking for goods at the market in Katine. Photograph: Martin GodwinPhotograph: GuardianPeople looking for goods at the market in Katine. Photograph: Martin GodwinGuardian Staff2009-08-11T23:01:00ZKatine: Food shortage updatehttps://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/jul/24/food-crisis-update
Amref monitoring nutritional levels among youngsters in the sub-county and working with authorities to coordinate response<p>We reported earlier this week about the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/2009/jul/21/food-crisis">growing concern</a> among Katine farmers over food shortages in the sub-county and across the Soroti district. The government has officially named Soroti as one of 17 districts in the north and east of Uganda now experiencing famine. While Katine has not reached this level, food shortages and rising prices have indicated a potential crisis.</p><p>Amref, which is implementing the three-year development project in Katine, funded by Guardian readers and Barclays, has sent me an update on what the team is doing in the region to monitor the situation.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/jul/24/food-crisis-update">Continue reading...</a>LivelihoodsKatine lifeEducationNewsKatineUgandaWorld newsGlobal developmentFamineFoodEnvironmentAfricaFri, 24 Jul 2009 14:39:42 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/jul/24/food-crisis-updateLiz Ford2009-07-24T14:39:42ZSmall-scale irrigation schemes are key to food security in Ugandahttps://www.theguardian.com/global/katineblog/2009/jul/24/livelihoods-news
Irrigation seems to have been left off the agenda when it comes to discussing food security in Uganda. It needs to be added now, argues Richard M Kavuma<p>As we now know, the people of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine">Katine</a>, the wider Teso region and other parts of Uganda are <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/2009/jul/21/food-crisis">bracing themselves for famine</a> following back-to-back drought. This is, of course, bad news, which makes the recent <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/10/g8-farm-aid-africa">G8 pledge</a> to support Africa to feed itself all the more timely. But what bothers me is the failure of the Ugandan government and indeed its donors – including the UK – to realise that simplistic solutions will only be stop-gap measures. Yes, there is talk about fertilizers and drought-resistant crop varieties, but governments have pretty much maintained a business-as-usual approach to agriculture. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's 2009 <a href="http://www.unctad.org/Templates/webflyer.asp?docid=11721&amp;intItemID=2068&amp;lang=1">Least Developed Countries report</a> says as much.</p><p>People in Katine realise that the weather is changing and many ask what is happening to "their" world. A year ago, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/2008/jul/02/katineg8.background">one village leader's message</a> to the G8 heads of state was that they should help Katine plant trees to help stabilise the unpredictable weather. Of course, planting a tree in Katine is no panacea for all the crimes committed against the planet, especially by wealthier countries, but the 55-year-old village chairman was thinking along the right lines. But what does his president, Yoweri Museveni, in Kampala think? That it is all right for natural forests like Mabira to be replaced with sugar cane farms because sugar cane companies will pay billions of Ugandan shillings in taxes.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global/katineblog/2009/jul/24/livelihoods-news">Continue reading...</a>LivelihoodsNewsPolitics and historyKatineWaterUgandaWorld newsGlobal developmentFoodFamineWaterEnvironmentAfricaFri, 24 Jul 2009 10:55:30 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/global/katineblog/2009/jul/24/livelihoods-newsPhotograph: Dan Chung/guardian.co.ukChildren obtaining water from a borehole in Katine. Photograph: GuardianPhotograph: Dan Chung/guardian.co.ukChildren obtaining water from a borehole in Katine. Photograph: GuardianRichard M Kavuma2009-07-24T10:55:30ZUganda 'at risk' of losing all its forestshttps://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/jun/25/uganda-deforestation
Deforestation has already seen Uganda's 5 million hectares of forest in 1990 dwindle to 3.5 million by 2005. Rural areas like Katine will suffering most from resulting erratic rainfalls<p>Uganda has already lost two-thirds of its forests in the last 20 years and could have lost all of its forested land by 2050, which would have severe repercussions for its poorest people according to environmentalists.</p><p>Deforestation has already seen Uganda's 5 million hectares (12.3 million acres) of forest in 1990 dwindle to 3.5 million by 2005. Now the <a href="http://www.nemaug.org/">National Environment Management Authority</a> (NEMA) has warned that if deforestation continues in Uganda at its present rate there will be no forests left in 40 years.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/jun/25/uganda-deforestation">Continue reading...</a>LivelihoodsNewsKatineEnvironmentDroughtDeforestationFarmingFoodUgandaWorld newsAfricaThu, 25 Jun 2009 15:44:15 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/katineblog/2009/jun/25/uganda-deforestationAnnie Kelly2009-06-25T15:44:15ZThe Ugandan government needs to do more for farmershttps://www.theguardian.com/katine/2008/nov/20/one-year-on-ugandan-farmers
The Katine project could help improve livelihoods in this sub-county of north-east Uganda, but it should not absolve the government of its responsibilities towards farmers across the country, argues Ronald Naluwairo<p>As in many other rural areas, agriculture is the major source of <strong><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/katine/livelihoods">employment</a></strong> for the majority of the people in eastern Uganda, where Katine is located. More than 80% of the population in the region depend on agriculture to meet their food, animal feed, health and cultural needs.</p><p>Agriculture constitutes a major source of income across Uganda, employing more than 80% of the populace - the majority being women and young people. However, over the years, agricultural production has steadily declined. Figures from the <strong><a href="http://www.ubos.org/">Uganda Bureau of Statistics</a></strong> indicate that sector growth declined from 5.6% in 1999-00 to 1.9% in 2006-07, with some years registering depressingly low figures. For example, 2005-06 registered 0.5% growth and 2004-05 registered -0.6%. There are a number of factors that account for this decline, including increasing land degradation, declining soil productivity, pests and diseases, climate change and unpredictable weather patterns. The civil war in the north, which has lasted more than 21 years, has compounded the issue in the east.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/katine/2008/nov/20/one-year-on-ugandan-farmers">Continue reading...</a>One year onLivelihoodsNewsKatineFoodUgandaWorld newsAfricaThu, 20 Nov 2008 09:03:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/katine/2008/nov/20/one-year-on-ugandan-farmersPhotograph: Martin Godwin/GuardianPeter Eroku and his cattle in Katine, Uganda. Photograph: Guardian/Martin GodwinPhotograph: Martin Godwin/GuardianPeter Eroku and his cattle in Katine, Uganda. Photograph: Guardian/Martin GodwinGuardian Staff2008-11-20T09:03:00Z